Traditional techniques for distributing multicast traffic within layer-2 networks have generally relied on the Spanning Tree Protocol to prevent multicast packets from looping in and flooding the layer-2 networks. Unfortunately while successfully eliminating looping, the Spanning Tree Protocol may constrain multicast traffic to a single set of data links, which may cause redundant data links to be unused.
Some techniques for distributing multicast traffic have attempted to use more than one set of data links to distribute multicast traffic in layer-2 networks. For example, at least one technique may allocate a set of data links to each switch in a layer-2 network that may include the shortest paths from the switch to other switches in the layer-2 network and may be used to distribute multicast traffic ingress to the layer-2 network at the switch to the other switches within the layer-2 network. Because each switch is allocated its own set of data links, multicast traffic ingress to the layer-2 network at two different switches may be distributed using different sets of data links. Unfortunately, data link utilization may be inefficient as only a single path may be used for distributing traffic between any two switches. Thus, the instant disclosure identifies and addresses a need for improved systems and methods for load balancing multicast traffic.